The Advent Wreath and the Jesse Tree.

Advent. A time of anticipation. A time of turning hearts and minds to the coming of the Christ. A time of deep spiritual reflection. 


Usually.

This year, I sat defeated in my prayers. Tired and overwhelmed with consumerism, wanting so desperately to avoid the chaos of the season. Ready to boycott the commercialism and sensationalism and worldly focus on a jolly old elf that began only as an advertising campaign, yet another distraction from the truth of the holiness of this time of year. In fact I had decided much to the dismay of my family that there would be NO decorations for Christmas until Christmas was HERE! Except, of course, for the Advent wreath. And in looking for a quiet devotion for the Advent season, I stumbled upon A Holy Experience, and quite by accident had exactly that.

 

    I was absolutely blown away by Ann Voskamp and her Jesus Advent Celebration. The Spirit moved in me with a resounding "YES! FINALLY!" Her book is filled to the brim with spiritual insight and inspiration for turning your Jesse Tree into a daily Advent devotional. As I was waiting impatiently for the email link to my precious discovery, I was inspired to make a small change. My epiphany was this: Why can’t the ENTIRE Christmas tree be our Advent Wreath?

    So I gathered the children on Saturday for a marathon of gathering and crafting symbols of the Bible, things they knew of and had heard of but could not understand why we were making and gathering all of them RIGHT NOW. And I pulled out my Christmas tree and the lights. And Sunday we gathered around that plain Christmas tree, decorated only with white lights, lights that for us are a reminder that Christ is the Pure Light of the World. 

And with Ann's words in my hands and Bibles in theirs, we read the first words of John: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…” And I read the introduction from "A Jesus Advent Celebration" to a captive audience, and we were moved to silence. And as our youngest of 5 hung that first ornament, so tiny and small on that great big tree, we sat together in silent contemplation of a symbol we had used for so many years but appreciate now in a whole new way. 

   

    Our tree stands barren but for one small ornament and we want to fill it up, to finish it all right now because it is going to be SO GREAT! But the light of the world is calling us to Wait, to Watch, to Anticipate the coming. His coming. And we know in our heart of hearts that this will be the best Advent EVER. Period.